Feed, transport and delivery mechanism

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for feeding objects to a transport mechanism and transport and delivery mechanisms for the objects, and, in particular, apparatus for feeding books to, transporting them through the cutting stations of and delivering them from a twostation, three-knife book trimmer. The feed mechanism includes a hopper for holding books, a prestripper for stripping a book from the hopper and moving it part way to the front knife cutting station and pushers, which continue to feed the book to the first cutting station, with means coordinating the prestrippers and pushers. The transport mechanism includes a plurality of displaceable, e.g. upper transport belts and a plurality of belts in opposition to the displaceable ones, e.g. lower transport belts, which clamp the book, respectively, from above and below. While clamping the book, the transport belts travel with it to the side knife cutting station, halt for side knife trimming, and then move the book beyond the second station to the delivery mechanism. The transport belts travel intermittently so as to be stationary when the book is delivered to the first station and to halt the object at the first and second stations. Displacement means, e.g. for the upper belts, separate the transport belts at the first station to permit a book to be fed between the upper and lower belts, and return means bring the belts together again to clamp the book. The delivery mechanism includes speeder belts for engaging the book from below and speeding it away from the transport belts.

- United States Patent Sarring Oct. 21, 1975 FEED, TRANSPORT AND DELIVERY nism and transport and delivery mechanisms for the MECHANISM objects, and, in particular, apparatus for feeding books 7 to, transporting them through the cutting stations of [75] Inventor nest Sarrmg western Sprmgs and delivering them from a two-station, three-knife book trimmer. The feed mechanism includes a hopper [73] Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation, for holding books, a prestripper for stripping a book Pittsburgh, Pa. from the hopper and moving it part way to the front knife cutting station and pushers which continue to l [22] F1 ed Nov 1974 feed the book to the first cutting station, with means [21] Appl. No.: 524,305 coordinating the prestrippers and pushers. The trans- Related U.S. ApplicationData Primary ExaminerRobert J. Spar Assistant Examiner-George F. Abraham [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for feeding objects to a transport mechaport mechanism includes a plurality of displaceable, e.g. upper transport belts and a plurality of belts in opposition to the displaceable ones, e.g. lower transport belts, which clamp the book, respectively, from above and below. While clamping the book, the transport belts travel with it to the side knife cutting station, halt for side knife trimming, and then move the book beyond the second station to the delivery mechanism. The transport belts travel intermittently so as to be stationary when the book is delivered to the first station and to halt the object at the first and second stations. Displacement means, eg for the upper belts, separate the transport belts at the first station to permit a book to be fed between the upper and lower belts, and return means bring the belts together again to clamp the book. The delivery mechanism includes speeder belts for engaging the book from below and speeding it away from the transport belts.

4 Claims, 39 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 21, 1975 Fig.l.

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1. A mechanism for feeding books and the like to a cutting station of a trimmer comprising, a table, a hopper for supporting a stack of books on said table and having at least one wall that is adjustable with relation to the width of the books to be trimmed, carriage means for supporting said adjustable wall, prestripper means mounted for reciprocation below said hopper for stripping each succeeding lowermost book in turn partially from beneath said stack and advancing it to a predetermined position, drive means including a control element mounted on said carriage means for reciprocating said prestripper means through a feed and return stroke the length of which is dependent upon the width of the books to be trimmed, and mechanism for shifting the position of said carriage means and therewith said control element to thereby adjust said adjustable wall and simultaneously vary the length of said feed and return stroke of said prestripper means with direct relation to the width of the books.
 2. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control element comprises a pivot link pivotally mounted on said carriage means, a cam roller on said pivot link, and said drive means further comprises a drive link having elongated slot therein to receive said cam roller.
 3. Mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein said drive means further includes cam means for positively actuating said drive link during the feed stroke of said reciprocating prestripper means, and resilient spring means for actuating said drive link during the return stroke thereof.
 4. Mechanism as set forth in claim 3 further including detector means for detecting a pre-set condition of said books in the hopper, and latch means responsive to said detector means for latching said drive link at the end of said feed stroke in the event a next succeeding book in said hopper is not in said preset condition. 